July 15, 2016

I just love this drawing of the parents and child. My daughter found it on Instagram and sent it to me. As a little kid, my wife and I used to hold her hands and swing her between us when walking (like in the above illustration)--she loved that!Now as we get older, we still try to be good, helpful parents (not too intrusive or helicopter-like--well maybe a little), but we can certainly see a day down the line when the cycle of life goes full circle. My daughter used to joke (I think) about putting me in an old age home--she knew that after seeing what my mom went through there with Parkinson's, that is truly the last place I would want to end up. Of course, sometimes there really is no choice when a person just needs so much care that it is beyond what the family can do any longer. Frankly, what I have learned is that the most important and precious thing that parents and children can give each other is...time!So is that child in the bottom illustration helping his aging parents along or is he dragging them off to the nursing home? Perhaps, we'll never know until it's too late. ;-)(Source Photo: Rebecca Blumenthal from Instagram Unlimited Knowledge)

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About Me

Andy Blumenthal is a dynamic, award-winning leader with 30 years of experience delivering results across the public and private sectors.

Blumenthal is Deputy Chief Operating Officer at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response. Previously, served progressively as Chief Information Officer, U.S. Department of State, Global Information Services; Chief Technology Officer, U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and Chief Enterprise Architect, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Coast Guard and Secret Service.

Blumenthal has been honored with the Department of State's Meritorious Award, Department of Homeland Security's Excellence Award, CIO's Ones to Watch Award, and listed as one of the Top 25 Information Managers, Top 70 Federal Tech Pros, and Top 100 Social CIOs. Blumenthal is a recognized expert in organizational transformation who shares his best practices as an adjunct professor at Carnegie Mellon University, at his former column with Public CIO Magazine, and at his popular blog, The Total CIO. Blumenthal is known for spearheading best practices including: Leadership with Heart, The CIO Support Services Framework, and User-centric Enterprise Architecture.